The Scientist
by xXxWhispered LullabyesXxX
Summary: [Companion piece to Thru the Eyes of the Innocent]Nine months after her rape, Emma dies under seemingly natural circumstances, leaving her baby to Ellie and Craig. Mystery, drama and secrets unravel with the arrival of Chase Manning. EmMatt Crellie
1. First Breath, Final Heartbeat

_The Scientist_

**A/N: I suggest reading "Thru The Eyes of the Innocent" before reading this fic, for it plays a major part in this story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Degrassi: The Next Generation or Coldplay's "The Scientist." I only own the characters whose names you do not reconize.**

Full Summary: _She left the world holding the only thing precious to her close to her heart, only to leave him behind in a world of insanity._

Chapter One: First Breath, Final Heartbeat

The world was fuzzy around her, as blackness threatened to settle in permanently. The pain was unbearable and her head throbbed as hurried voices buzzed about her, shouting out commands and she felt herself being pricked and prodded. She looked up into a pair of kind gray eyes and asked wearily, "Where am I? What's happened?" She was put onto a bed, legs propped up as the man answered, "You had an accident and you fell, Ms. Nelson. You're about to have your baby now."

Lights blinded her as Emma could barely comprehend the words the doctor had spoken, then it all came rushing back to her as she struggled to prop herself up. "My baby…will my baby be alright?" she asked, each breath a struggle.

"Yes, but you've got to work with me, now. Push with each contraction, alright? And here one comes, bar down now…and one, two, three…that's it, you're doing fine…"

Emma felt as though daggers were ripping through herfrail body, tearing her apart. But how she had anticipated this moment for months; to hold her precious baby in her arms, be relieved of all the pain that her pregnancy had brought about. It was all worth it, she told herself. Every tear fallen, every harsh word spoken, every fear and worry and emotional and physical pain felt, it was all...worth it.

"Four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Good girl, Emma. Take a breath now."

Emma flopped back onto the pillows, her hair billowing out around her, and covered her face in her hands. Shame, so much shame she had felt. The embarrassment had been unbearable, as was the criticism and this heavy weight of guilt she had felt all these months. But it wasn't her fault!

A loud sobbed erupted from Emma's chest and she could literally feel her heart breaking as another contraction hit.

"This is it, Emma. Push really hard for me, now. And one, two, three…"

Emma drifted back to the days of her innocent youth as she screamed and she fought to bring her baby into the world. All that was young of her was being pulled away, instilled in this tiny innocent baby which acts that were not so innocent had brought about.

"And you have a healthy baby boy!" The doctor proclaimed joyously, and as he held up the wailing little infant Emma smiled for the first time in what seemed like eons of years. He was passed to her chest, and Emma held the grimly, squiggling little boy to her beating heart, that had beaten so steadilyabove hisown for nine whole months, and laughed as she sank back into the bed, his wails puncturing the walls. He was a strong one, alright.

But just as quickly as her misery ended in that split second her son was brought into the world,glee faded as Emma went into a daze, and her arm tumbled to her side as the nurses rushed to her and the baby's aid. She fought to keep her eyes open, telling herself she was only tired.

"My baby, my baby boy," she sobbed as theywrapped him in a blanket tightly andrushed him out of the room.

"My Chase. I want my Chase to be alright. Please tell me he'll be alright," she murmured to the doctor that worked above her. He nodded, giving her his assurance. She was just so tired…it wouldn't hurt if she just closed her eyes for a second…

XxX

"Time of death, 12:44 pm."

"Only four minutes after the boy was born, doctor."

"Yes. Where are Ms. Nelson's parents?"

"They're on their way."

"Alright. We'll have to talk to them about the boy, Chase. That's what Ms. Nelson wanted his name to be, please tell the nurses down in the neonatal nursery so he can be properly named. If the parents agree to custody, they will fill out the birth certificate."

"Poor baby. Poor girl. The child's seventeen year old mother is dead barely after he took his first breath."

"…_It's such a shame for us to part…"_


	2. Bruises that She Never Wanted to Fade

Chapter Two: Bruises That She Never Wanted to Fade

Chase was a healthy, wiggling newborn baby boy and Ellie gazed at him adoringly from across the nursery room window. Her fingers gently touched the glass, and she pressed her face close, fogging the surface.

"He's beautiful, Craig. I can't believe he's ours. After all we've been through, we've got another chance."

Craig wrapped his arms around Ellie's waist, placing his head in between her neck and shoulder. "I love you, Els. I love you and this little guy more than anything in the world, but I can't believe Emma's gone…" a tear slipped down his cheek for his childhood friend. Emma had her share of mistakes, but she would have made a beautiful, wonderful mother. Ellie felt Craig's tear drip on her shoulder, and she knew Craig was just so thankful that Emma had told the paramedic in the ambulance that, if anything should happen, the baby was to be entrusted to Eleanor and Craig Manning.

_Ellie Manning._

God. So much had happened in the past year since graduation. _(A/N: Emma would just be about to turn 18 and graduate.)_

Nineteen year old Craig and Ellie had continued to deepen their relationship in therapy, especially once Ashley had decided to stay in London with her father. Craig was heartbroken and his sadness only deepened the bond between the rebellious redhead and the aspiring musician, whom already had a record in the making.

Ellie had gotten pregnant graduation night, and six months later, after Craig had proposed and they had eloped soon after she shared the news, Ellie lost the baby due to placental abruption and was devastated, as was Craig. He always wanted a family and now he had another dead child to add to the list of things gone wrong, lives never lived.

Ellie reached back and ruffled Craig's tossed hair and kissed his cheek. "He's got a good home with us, Craig. He's a lucky little boy and Emma would be happy." She turned in his arms, smiling up at him as he brushed a fly away strand of red tendrils from his wife's face. It was true-he was making a ton of money, they had a nice place in Ontario, his relationship with Ellie was more sound than ever, and this kid was going to have a lot of love.

"Mr. and Mrs. Manning, would you like to hold the boy?" the neonatal nurse asked, smiling sadly at the two and grabbing their attention away from one another. The couple eagerly nodded as Chase was brought out of his tiny crib and tucked safely in the nurse's arms, and carried out to the hallway to meet his adoptive parents. He wiggled and squirmed and let out a tiny cry as he was placed in Ellie's waiting arms, but settled snugly into her chest as tears flowed freely from Ellie's eyes, as well as Craig's; the overwhelming emotions of reality hitting them like a ton of bricks, finally settling in.

"What do you think…what do you think Emma would have wanted his middle name to be?" Craig whispered, touching the chubby cheeks of the baby.

"She always said that she wanted to have another little boy one day and name him after her brother," Ellie responded, choking out the words. "She loved that little guy so much. Craig, how can we…Snake and Spike just lost a daughter, Jack just lost a sister, Chase lost his mother, Matt lost Emma…how can we do this? Why wouldn't Emma want her parents to have the little guy? I just feel so selfish right now, and…"

Craig cut his wife off as he brushed her tears aside. "You remember how her parents reacted. Snake wasn't happy; that's why she moved in with us, you know? They kicked her out, hun. I doubt she was in the frame of mind to leave Chase with them. And Matt…you know that Matt's been out of the picture ever since he learned that Emma was pregnant and knew the baby wasn't his. He was too much of an idiot to listen to the fact that Emma had been raped. Chase is gonna be okay with us, Els. Everything will be okay. Emma knew we'd give him a good home. It's the least we can do for her, after she had helped us so much this past November when we lost…lost Nicole…"

Ellie leaned into Craig's chest, her sorrow deepening at the loss of her best friend. And here was her baby, cuddled in her arms; a tiny little life to love. A life that would never get to know Emma, but Ellie knew she would always mention how much his "angel mommy" loved him and wanted him. She would keep Emma's memory alive.

"We can take him home tomorrow, Ellie. And we…we still have that crib in our room that Chase can use until we get the nursery…finished up, and-"

"Craig?" Ellie's mournful eyes gazed into his own, and Craig had to struggle to maintain his posture. Ellie sobbed, her words barely audible: "How did this happen, Craig? How did Emma die like that? How could she be strong enough until the baby was born and then just…let go?" Craig took a deep breath, trying to get rid of the nausea that filled his stomach. "Emma fell down the stairs after she went back to try and make peace with her parents. She hit her head pretty badly and she was bleeding, but it stopped by the time she arrived at the hospital and she was fully alert, aware…fine. She was already in active labor. While delivering the baby, Emma…Emma started hemorrhaging. She tore her uterus during the delivery. She bled to death, Ellie. There was a lot of blood and they couldn't get her in for an emergency hysterectomy in time. It was too…late…" He cuddled Ellie's head to his chest, the baby pressed between them, his head atop Ellie's. Tears slipped from both their eyes as life continued on around them, and babies cried, and life just had to go on. There was no stopping it or turning back time; they had to do what they had to do and now. Craig just didn't know how this kid was going to handle the truth, reality, his life-once he learned the story of his mother. Once he figured out he had a mommy besides Ellie and a monster for a father. Craig shuddered…they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

"…_Nobody ever said it was easy, No one ever said it would be this hard…"_


	3. Farewell and Goodnight

The Scientist

Chapter Three: Farewell and Goodnight

"…_Come back and haunt me_

_Oh and I rush to the start…"_

Craig carried Chase's carrier in with him to the living room, Ellie at his side. The little boy was only a day old and already Craig and Ellie could tell he had Emma's eyes, her nose and her hair. Craig turned to Ellie and smiled, saying, "We're home. Chase, this is your new home. You're gonna have a lot of good times and happy memories here," he said as he lifted the baby out of the carrier, kissing him on the cheek.

He was finally a daddy.

He missed his NicoleAlessandraManning, the tiniest baby he had ever seen in his life. The nurses dressed her in a little outfit and took her picture in the NICU after she had died. She didn't look dead; just tiny and frail and peaceful and…just like she was sleeping.

_Lullaby and goodnight, in the sky stars are bright…_

Emma's voice filled his head then, filling his eyes with tears. Emma was three months pregnant when Ellie lost the baby and Emma was set on having an abortion, but after she'd seen how precious life was, how frail and beautiful and when she held little Nicole in her arms after her passing, Craig could see that Emma changed. She was no longer a frightened girl. She knew that she had a life to live and was waiting for her, same with her baby, that tiny life that rumbled inside her. She saw how precious and beautiful life was, and how quickly it could be taken away.

How true that is.

It took losing Nicole for Emma to decide to keep Chase. It kept losing Nicole for Emma to come to terms with her own pregnancy, to embrace life again, to begin the healing process while all the while helping Ellie and himself with their overwhelming grief.

It took losing Nicole for Emma to entrust baby Chase to them. Emma knew they had been ready for a baby, and would readily welcome Chase into their home. She knew having Chase with them would ease their grief.

Everything happened for a reason. Everybody in life has a purpose, even if they were a tiny little baby that wasn't even born alive. The fact that she had a heartbeat for six months changed everything. The fact that Ellie had gotten pregnant had changed everything, for better or for worse. Things had a funny way of working out, Craig thought as he stared down at the little boy. Even if it took so much heart ache to get there.

XxX

That night, Ellie settled Chase into what had been Emma's old room. She had packed all of Emma's things into the attic, where a staircase was conviently located inside the closet of the nursery, but she had left some of Emma's most precious things out for baby Chase to look at and play with.

Chase's tiny body smelled of fresh baby powder and his hair was shiny and soft, and his body little and warm in his fleece pajamas, huddled against Ellie's chest. He turned his cheek a bit and yawned, writhing in Ellie's arms.

"Tired, little boy?" Ellie whispered, smiling. She sat down in the rocking chair and titled back and forth, back and forth. The whole motherhood role came naturally to her and she grinned down at the little boy who was now soundly asleep. She felt she was years beyond her nineteen at that moment; her heart had been broken so many times, she had finally fell into true love with Craig, gotten pregnant, then married…then lost a child. All in a matter of nearly two years, now.

"_Goodnight, to every happy little hour that hold tight, may it keep you thru the winter of a long night…" _Ellie sang in a soft, clear voice. The Smashing Pumpkins. Boy was this kid gonna be one hell of a rocker just like his daddy when he got older, Ellie thought with a grin, shifting her arm a bit.

She glanced around the room, memories of Emma filling her head. The two had never really been friends until they were assigned to an article for the Grapevine together, and then just completely bonded. Emma, Ellie realized, wasn't some slut. She was a hurting little girl looking to ease the pain any way she could. So she made a mistake. So what? Ellie understood. Her scars reminded her of that everyday…and to be stronger for Chase and any other children she may have. They were her battle scars, and she had won the war.

_Flashback_

"_Ellie, what do you think of this dress?" Emma stood in front of the dressing room in a pretty turquoise prom dress that billowed out behind her, smiling happily. Ellie laughed, modeling her own choice of a bronze evening gown and turned around. "I think we look absolutely fabulous," Ellie joked, mimicking Paige. "Craig and Matt won't know what hit them. And imagine the look on Paige's face when you come in with Matt!" Ellie laughed again and Emma joined in. _

"_But what about…" Emma glanced down at Ellie's bare arms and Ellie shrugged. "They're starting to fade. It'll be dark in the hall anyway. I'll be fine." Emma smiled at her, relieved. "I'm so happy, Ellie," she exclaimed, twirling around. "Snake is getting better every day, I'm going to be a senior soon, I have the most wonderful boyfriend in the world…" Emma kept twirling and twirling, her dress flying out around her. _

Right into disaster.

Matt. Matt screwed everything up.


	4. Just Like Heaven

Chapter Four: Just like Heaven

…_Tell me you love me…_

**A/N: -Flashback Chapter**

**There will beflashbacks of Emma and other characters for a few more chaptersbut it won't all be sad. Thanks to all those who reviewed, I'll try my best to review your stories, too. (and those of you who reviewed "Thru the Eyes of the Innocent" as well) Good day, ya'll.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything, and the chapter's title "Just Like Heaven" belongs to The Cure, from their CD "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me".**

Emma made her way through the woods, finding her usual spot at the ravine to meet Jay. It was twenty after midnight; she was late.

She knew the old Emma would be home baby sitting, or hanging out with Manny, or coming up with ideas for new ways to save the world at this time, but that had all changed.

But that was before the shooting, before she had a gun pointed at her face and her life twirled by her eyes, and ever since then she had felt so afraid, so insignificant, so small…so guilty. She hadn't truly laughed or smiled in the longest time; all innocence was gone from her face.

How she envied Jack, and the fact that he was so blissfully, innocently oblivious to the world. If only she could go back to that time in her life, and treasure that feeling, not knowing any better of the evils of the world but at the same time not knowing anything at all.

Momentarily she tripped and was brought out of her deep thoughts, and she swore under her breath. Her shirt got caught on a branch and untangling it would surely cause a hole, and not only that but Jay got pissed whenever she was late.

She couldn't believe she had to succumb to such levels, yet it was the only thing that kept her mind off her pain, to make her feel numb inside, immune to hurt-at least momentarily. Jay didn't love her; she didn't love Jay: they weren't even friends but merely, as they dubbed themselves, "acquaintances with benefits." All Emma knew about Jay was that he was some drunk, druggie loser. All Jay knew about Emma was that she used to be green peace, but that name had long since lost it's meaning when it came to Emma. She just wasn't herself anymore, just a lost little girl drowning somewhere in a deep ocean with no one to hear her scream, swallowing fistfuls of salty water until she could no longer speak.

Fumbling with her shirt, Emma paused and cocked her head to the side. She heard a rumbling in the woods and her heart stopped; great. Now she was going to end up buried somewhere. She was just about to scream as she recognized the face of the person who held up his hands in a peace offering, laughing.

"Relax, Emma." He said, smiling. "Ever since that tree-cutting job I had over the summer, I can't keep myself from the forest. It's a good place to think. You, on the other hand…what are you doing out here at this hour?"

"I'm sixteen years old and a junior in high school, Mr. O., and I can do what I like and I can take care of myself." Emma retorted, rolling her eyes. What was there to think about in the forest at midnight? So this was the loser that had dumped Paige over the summer because of "distance." Emma was no fan of the girl, but hadn't she been through enough bad luck with men?

"Oh, really? That's why you're caught in the branches of a tree at twelve-thirty in the morning on a Saturday. Do your parents know you're out here?"

Emma bit her lip, giving Mr. O the same speech she had given her parents. "I'm trying to reach the clearing, do a little star-gazing and have a look at the night life for a bio report," she lied. "Manny Santos is supposed to meet me there, and I'm late." Gawd, was she sick of being police-patrolled by adults. They think they knew everything, but they hadn't known that Rick was going to shoot up the school, did they? Mr. Radditch had ignored everything Rick told him. He knew Rick was on the edge. But yet…

Emma sighed and Mr. O laughed. "Well, let me walk you down there," he said, as Emma finally freed herself from the branch. The two walked in silence for a bit, Matt having his flashlight in hand. All Emma could think of was how pissed Jay was gonna be and he'd probably end their little "agreement." Great.

"We're here," Mr. O said, pulling Emma from her thoughts and she smiled wrily. "I can take it from here," she said sweetly. If Mr. O hurried up and left and she could get a move on, maybe Jay would still be waiting.

"No way am I leaving you alone here at night, as it looks like Miss Santos-" he said the name with a dry laugh-"Is not here yet. We'll just chill till then."

Emma sighed, sat down and crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Look how beautiful the stars are," Mr. O stated, and Emma simply stared up at the whispy clouds and twinkling lights of the sky and had to agree, her irritability starting to subside. Moments of silence passed, but they were comfortable. Then Mr. O. spoke up.

"So, Emma. How's it been? I knew last year was bad for you, and…"

"God! I don't want to talk about it, okay? Quit trying to make yourself look like some caring guy to cover up your ruined rep." she snapped, and Mr. O looked taken aback and a bit hurt.

"Sorry, Emma." He said simply, but there was something about him that made Emma feel guilty. She'd done stuff just as bad as what he did, so why should she be judging? Why should a person ever judge another person, reguardless of whether or not they had done good or bad things themselves? After all, wasn't she sick of being judged by people who think they know everything?

But still, she barely knew the guy. This was the first conversation she'd had with him. But then she remembered how angry he looked when Chris commented on the whole gonorrhea incident. Out of habit, Emma rubbed her hand across her mouth, disgusted. Good thing gonorrhea was curable and she hadn't gotten anything again-including a baby.

"Sorry, Mr. O," Emma said, sighing. He just smiled at her, that goofy, impish little boy grin. "Call me Matt, Emma."

"Alright…Matt." Emma had to smile at the sight of the moonlight across his face, how peaceful he looked.

"So, Emma. What were you really doing out here in the woods at this time of night? Looks like Miss Santons isn't going to make it."

"What were you doing?"

"I already told you."

Emma paused. He couldn't know about Jay. Nobody knew; she was used to keeping her little secrets.

"I was meeting a friend." _Liar, _her conscious screamed louder than usualShe didn't want to lie to him. Why would she not want to lie to him when she lied to her parents, to her teachers, to herself?

"Emma, don't take this as I'm butting into your business or anything, but you're better than any friend who asked you to meet them at 12:30 AM in the woods." Matt said quietly, and inside Emma fumed. How dare he say that? How dare he say she was better than that? She wasn't. To herself, she was a worthless slut, responsible for so many bad things…

Then her heart beat a bit quicker and she dared to ask, "You think so?"

"I know so. What happened to the old Emma?" Emma smiled to herself, giving in. What was it about the darkness of the night that covered up everyone's imperfections, could be interpreted as good or bad, or just simply made things a little more romantic?

"I don't know."

"I think you should find out."

They smiled at each other. Emma wanted to kiss him, but fought the urge. Something about him told her Matt was safe, who knew why, but she just knew and that was all that mattered.

So she gathered her things, got up and Matt agreed to walk her home.

It was nice for being seen for something other than being a slut. It was nice, not to be judged or looked down upon. It was nice to have an intelligent conversation with someone-she hadn't had one of those in so long, she thought as they strolled along the street, talking about the preservation of wild horses, sounding like her old self once again. Heck, she hadn't even talked to anyone besides her family since the whole "Emma's a slut" incident, and even those conversations were tense. Lately, Emma had only been talking easily to two-year-old Jack, conversations of jumbled words of planes, birds and the sky. Innocent things that brought a smile to her sad face.

But she couldn't possibly like Matt. She was sixteen.

Then again, who could help who they fell for?

_Quit being ridiculous._

Her heart disagreed with her mind as she felt herself flush girlishly, her heart beating just a bit faster. And she felt lighter and better about herself then she had in awhile as she walked into the front door and greeted her mother with a hug.

"Emma! I'm taking it you had fun?" Christine's eyes sparkled. She wasn't used to seeing her daughter smile, and she was so glad she got to spend awhile with a friend. Emma had been isolated for so long, Christine was happy to let her daughter work on the school project with Manny.

"Yup. I learned some really cool things, Mom."

She was never going back to Jay again, ever. Somehow on this early Saturday morning, Emma felt something grow that she hadn't felt in awhile: hope.

**A/N: Okay, so here is a Miss Emmaleen flashback, and the next chapter will be Em/Matt as well, and more light-hearted. Please review, suggestions/comments/CONSTRUCTIVE criticism always welcome. I know this chap was a bit odd, but it was sort of a filler and how Emma and Matt became close.**


	5. Time to Be Your 21

Chapter Five: Time to be Your 21

…_You don't know how lovely you are…_

"Emma Nicole Nelson!" her mother scolded with angry eyes as Emma tried to slip unnoticed into the hallway, but she wasn't that lucky at the moment.

"You stayed after school again and forgot to tell me? This is about the millionth time these past two months! I was worried, Em." Christine's eyes turned into sadness and Emma felt guilty as she slipped the book bag off her shoulders. "Sorry, Mom," she apologized, and Christine just sighed. "I gave you the phone for a reason, Emmy," she stated, using Emma's old nickname and she just nodded in response. "Won't happen again, Mom. Scout's honor." Emma held up her fingers in promise and then made a mad-dash for her room. She couldn't contain her happiness ever since that night she first ran into Matt in the woods, and ever since then they had been meeting after school in the clearing, just talking. Matt would bring a picnic and sometimes they would ride out to the country together, and he had even made a promise of a trip to Ontario soon, and he knew how much Emma loved the clean, active city and the beautiful falls.

She thought she was falling in love…true love, ever since Sean. And it was ridiculous but she didn't care. All that mattered to her was that she felt alive again, while still remaining true to herself. As she lay on her bed, listening to music, she let her mind drift over to the lazy days that they had spent together.

"_Matt, thanks for everything. These past weeks have meant everything to me, and…" Matt silenced her with a kiss that sent shivers down her spine, and left her feeling dizzy and dazed afterwards. "Mmm. What was that for?" she whispered against his ear and he smiled at her. "For being you," he responded simply. "For everything that you are, and were, and everything you will be." He took Emma's hand, and dragged her close to him. "Will be, eh? So there's a future for us?" Emma asked with a silly grin on her face as Matt brushed her hair behind her ears. _

"_Yeah…yeah, I think so, Em. I think I'm…"_

"_You think that you're in love with me?" Emma whispered, afraid, pleased, and shocked all at once. "Matt, don't. I can't…" she let her voice trail off. Those three little words no man had ever spoken to her and she was afraid of their promise and their meaning that they held, and the fear that someday all of it could be lost. She was afraid of not being enough. She was afraid of being with him and being found out. She was sixteen, he twenty-two, nearing twenty-three…no, she had to end this now. Everything and nothing had gone on long enough._

"_Emma…wait." He said quietly, gently, as Emma started to stand up. "I know it sounds sudden, but I mean it. Over the past few months, you've became everything to me. Why can't you see how great you are? You try to…to hide how afraid you are sometimes, I know. But you need to know Emma that you're an amazing, beautiful person and I'm the luckiest guy on Earth."_

_Emma turned away, tears threatening to spill. "I'm not perfect, Matt." She said simply, her hand going up to her mouth in shame. Matt just shook his head._

"_Emma, we all make mistakes. It's okay. Just trust me. Believe me,I'm not perfect either." There was something so sincere in his eyes, in his words, in his tone of voice and in his features that made Emma believe him. In that moment, she knew he wouldn't hurt her. She didn't know how she knew; but she knew he was no Jay or Jordan or any other imbecile for that matter. She felt it in her bones that he meant what he said, but she was still a bit hesitant._

"_I can't…say anything back yet. Just take me as I am, Matt. As I come, you know?"_

"_I understand." He said, and Emma again sat beside him on the soft grass and she leaned into him, closing her eyes._

"_Let me know when you're ready." He murmured against her hair and she just nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. "Thank you," she whispered, and Matt bent his head down, grazing his lips with her own and they both laughed. _

"_Nobody can find out, you know." Emma said, looking into his striking eyes, seriousness in her voice. "They won't." he assured her, taking her hand and kissing her again. Still laughing, placing a little bit of trust in him, Emma got lost in the happiness of the moment, forgetting about Jay and Rick and the shooting and just…everything. _

"_Wait." Emma cut in, pulling away from Matt. "I don't want to…you know. Not yet. I want to wait a long time." Her eyes were serious and determined and Matt nodded. "Anything, Emma. I understand."_

Emma smiled and sighed with happiness as her cell phone rang, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Hello?" she asked gingerly, still a bit day-dreamy.

"Hey, Emma. This is Ellie. Listen, we really need to get started on that article today. I have band practice with Craig in an hour and I at least wanted to get our ideas sorted out," Ellie told her, and Emma agreed.

"Yeah, sorry Ellie. I've just been busy and all. I'll meet you at the Dot in fifteen," Emma said and told Ellie good-bye, pressing the "end" button. Inwardly, she cringed. The article was on pedophiles-she'd rather forget her experience with Jordan and along with that the fact that she was dating a twenty-two year old man.

_He's no pedophile,_ she thought, pulling on her jacket. _He'd never hurt me. I didn't meet him under any creepy, illegal circumstances and I know him, truly know him…I just can't let Ellie, or anyone else for that matter, find out._


End file.
